


Somewhere Where I Belong

by xtremeroswellian



Category: Smallville
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Missing Scene, Spoilers for "Hex"
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:15:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23672941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian
Summary: Oliver makes Chloe an offer.
Relationships: Chloe Sullivan & Oliver Queen
Kudos: 3





	Somewhere Where I Belong

**Author's Note:**

> So, I co-wrote this with my dear friend Robyn, who passed away from cancer in November 2011. Obviously I can't link an account for her since she never had one. But please know this wasn't just me writing this.

Chloe watched as the last of her guests left the party. Of course, she hadn't even known a lot of them to begin with. A lot of them had been Lois's friends from the Daily Planet, and others had been friends of Oliver's. Sighing softly, she tucked some hair behind her ear and moved over to the bar, leaning her arms on it. She looked at the bartender after he handed her a drink and offered him a tiny smile. "Thanks."

"Sure, no problem." He smiled back at her and began wiping the bar down.

Squeezing past a small group of people who were leaving, Oliver made his way back into the room where Chloe's party had been held. His eyes scanned the room and fell on the birthday girl, standing alone by the bar. He began to walk over to where she was, a gift wrapped box tucked under his arm.

He came to stand directly beside her, leaning himself against the bar and glancing over at her, a small smile on his face. "Figured I'd find you still here."

She turned to look at him, truly surprised to see him. "And you're back. That was fast." She arched an eyebrow at him. "Everything all right?"

He nodded. "Everything's fine. I just realized that I never gave you your birthday present." Noticing the surprised look on her face, he smirked. "You thought I'd forget to get you something, Sidekick?"

Chloe rolled her eyes at him. "Well, I hadn't realized we were at the stage where we get each other birthday gifts."

He chuckled softly. "Don't worry, I won't be expecting anything from you on my birthday. Besides, this is more of a... business proposition." He moved the box out from under his arm and held it out to her.

Her eyebrows furrowed at that. "A business proposition," she repeated, taking the box from him. It wasn't heavy, but it wasn't light either. She wondered if he'd gotten her a book, too.

He nodded again. "Just... open it."

Chloe set the box on the bar and pulled off the lid, staring at the laptop that lay inside. It was, of course, hunter green in color. She looked from it back to Oliver. "It's...a new laptop."

"Yeah," he said, placing a hand on the laptop. "I figured that old laptop of yours deserved to be retired. You know, out with the old, in with the new. And really, if you're going to take back your place as Watchtower, you're going to need something a little more high-tech." He held his breath for a moment, knowing he could get any number of reactions from Chloe with that last statement.

She'd only lifted the laptop from the box when his statement caught up with her already-busy brain. She looked up at him. "Wait...what?" Her eyes were wide as she stared. "Was that a job proposition?"

He breathed out a small laugh. "It's good to see your time away from the League hasn't suppressed your grasp of the obvious. Yes, it's a job proposition." He looked into her eyes, hoping that it was a proposition she wouldn't object to.

She opened her mouth to speak, then shut it again, speechless for one of the few times in her life. After regaining her senses, she studied him. "Are we talking full-time?"

"Basically," he answered, waving at the bartender to get him a drink, knowing it might take a bit of convincing for her to accept the job. "Thieves and criminals don't exactly take certain nights off. We'd need you essentially whenever duty calls."

Chloe was silent for a moment. "That's a lot to think about. How long is the offer on the table?"

He shrugged, grabbing the drink he'd been brought and taking a sip. For some reason, the action made him feel a bit more authoritative. Like he meant business. "However long it takes for you to come around.”

A faint smile tugged at her lips. "So you're going to keep asking until I accept?" There was a hint of teasing in her voice.

He rolled his eyes amusedly. "It's not like I'm going to pester and beg you until you say yes. Let's just say..." He smiled down at her, giving another small shrug. "I know what an asset you are to the team. We need you, Chloe."

She paused at that. It had been a long time since anyone had said they needed her, or even acted like they had. She smiled at him. "I promise I'll consider it very carefully."

"You do that," he responded, pushing off from the bar and making his way to the club exit. Before he got far, he turned back to face her. "Just... promise me one thing, will you?"

"What's that?" she asked quietly.

He took a small step closer to her, remembering the conversation they'd had earlier that night. "Lois may have that job at the Planet and this seemingly carefree life, and I know you think that your life somehow dulls in comparison. I just want you to remember that..." He paused, giving her a meaningful look. "You've got a lot to offer this world, Sidekick. I'd hate to see you give up on that.”

She looked back at him for a long moment, a little startled by the intensity of his gaze. It was like he was able to see past the walls she put up and somehow went straight to the heart of the matter. "Thanks, Oliver." Her voice was soft.

He nodded. "Anytime." He turned away and made his way out of the club, all the while wondering how long it would take for her to make a decision. If he knew Chloe like he thought he did, which admittedly wasn't incredibly well, he had a feeling what her answer would be. Until then, however, he'd wait for her.


End file.
